Electrical connector assembly

Abstract

An electrical connector assembly includes a connector body having a plurality of terminal receiving cavities formed therein and a plurality of flexible retaining arms integrally formed with a cavity wall and projecting from the cavity wall into the terminal receiving cavity toward a centerline of the terminal receiving cavity. The retaining arm defining a lock surface extending from a first free end of the retaining arm in a direction toward the centerline of the terminal receiving cavity. The assembly also includes a plurality of terminals having an end configured to connect with a corresponding mating terminal and a second end configured to be secured to a wire. The end defines a lock edge. The terminal is received in the terminal receiving cavity such that the first lock surface and the second lock surface engages the lock edge, thereby inhibiting the terminal from being withdrawn from the terminal receiving cavity.

We claim: 
     
       1. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:
 a connector body having a terminal receiving cavity formed therein, the terminal receiving cavity having a cavity wall; 
 a flexible first retaining arm in the form of a first cantilevered beam integrally formed with the cavity wall and projecting from the cavity wall into the terminal receiving cavity toward a centerline of the terminal receiving cavity, said first retaining arm defining a first lock surface extending from a first free end of the first retaining arm in a first direction angled toward the centerline of the terminal receiving cavity; 
 a flexible second retaining arm in the form of a second cantilevered beam integrally formed with the cavity wall and projecting from another location on the cavity wall opposite the first retaining arm into the terminal receiving cavity and extending in a second direction angled toward the centerline of the terminal receiving cavity, said second retaining arm defining a second lock surface further extending from a second free end of the second retaining arm toward the centerline of the terminal receiving cavity and the first lock surface; 
 a male pin terminal having a segment protruding from the connector body, a first end configured to connect with a corresponding mating terminal, and a second end configured to be secured to a wire, said first end defining a lock edge, wherein the terminal is received in the terminal receiving cavity such that the first lock surface and the second lock surface engages the lock edge, thereby inhibiting the terminal from being withdrawn from the terminal receiving cavity; and 
 a retractable shroud slideably attached to the connector body and moveable from a first position in which a portion of the retractable shroud extends beyond a tip of the male pin terminal to a second position in which the segment of the male pin terminal protrudes beyond the retractable shroud. 
 
     
     
       2. The electrical connector assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the connector body is formed by an additive manufacturing process. 
     
     
       3. The electrical connector assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the additive manufacturing process is selected from a list consisting of stereolithography, digital light processing, fused deposition modeling, fused filament fabrication, selective laser sintering, selecting heat sintering, multi-jet modeling, multi-jet fusion, electronic beam melting, laminated object manufacturing, and 3D printing. 
     
     
       4. The electrical connector assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the retractable shroud is formed by an additive manufacturing process. 
     
     
       5. The electrical connector assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the additive manufacturing process is selected from a list consisting of stereolithography, digital light processing, fused deposition modeling, fused filament fabrication, selective laser sintering, selecting heat sintering, multi-jet modeling, multi-jet fusion, electronic beam melting, laminated object manufacturing, and 3D printing. 
     
     
       6. The electrical connector assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrical connector assembly conforms to specification MIL-DTL-28840. 
     
     
       7. The electrical connector assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the retractable shroud defines a single main polarizing key common to all polarizing key configurations without any other polarizing keys. 
     
     
       8. The electrical connector assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first lock surface is oriented generally perpendicularly to the centerline and wherein the second lock surface is oriented generally perpendicularly to the centerline. 
     
     
       9. The electrical connector assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the connector body defines a plurality of terminal receiving cavities and wherein each terminal receiving cavity in the plurality of terminal receiving cavities contains one terminal of a plurality of terminals. 
     
     
       10. An electrical connector assembly, manufactured by a process comprising the steps of:
 forming a connector body having a terminal receiving cavity therein defining a cavity wall; 
 integrally forming a flexible first retaining arm, wherein the first retaining arm is in the form of a first cantilevered beam projecting from the cavity wall, wherein the first retaining arm projects into the terminal receiving cavity and toward a centerline of the terminal receiving cavity and wherein the first retaining arm defines a first lock surface extending from a first free end of the first retaining arm in a first direction toward the centerline of the terminal receiving cavity; 
 integrally forming a flexible second retaining arm, wherein the second retaining arm is in the form of a second cantilevered beam projecting from the cavity wall, wherein the second retaining arm projects from another location on the cavity wall opposite the first retaining arm into the terminal receiving cavity and extends in a second direction angled toward the centerline of the terminal receiving cavity and wherein the second retaining arm defines a second lock surface further extending from a second free end of the second retaining arm toward the centerline of the terminal receiving cavity and the first lock surface; 
 providing a male pin terminal having a segment protruding from the connector body, a first end configured to connect with a corresponding mating terminal and a second end configured to be secured to a wire, wherein the first end defines a lock edge; 
 disposing the terminal within the terminal receiving cavity such that the first lock surface and the second lock surface engages the lock edge, thereby inhibiting the terminal from being withdrawn from the terminal receiving cavity; 
 forming a retractable shroud, and 
 slideably attaching the retractable shroud to the connector body, wherein the retractable shroud is moveable from a first position in which a portion of the retractable shroud extends beyond a tip of the male pin terminal to a second position in which the segment of the male pin terminal protrudes beyond the retractable shroud. 
 
     
     
       11. The electrical connector assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the connector body, first retaining arm, and second retaining arm are formed by a first additive manufacturing process selected from a list consisting of stereolithography, digital light processing, fused deposition modeling, fused filament fabrication, selective laser sintering, selecting heat sintering, multi-jet modeling, multi-jet fusion, electronic beam melting, laminated object manufacturing, and 3D printing. 
     
     
       12. The electrical connector assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the retractable shroud is formed by a second additive manufacturing process selected from a list consisting of stereolithography, digital light processing, fused deposition modeling, fused filament fabrication, selective laser sintering, selecting heat sintering, multi-jet modeling, multi-jet fusion, electronic beam melting, laminated object manufacturing, and 3D printing. 
     
     
       13. The electrical connector assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the electrical connector assembly conforms to specification MIL-DTL-28840. 
     
     
       14. The electrical connector assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the connector body defines a single main polarizing key common to all polarizing key configurations without any other polarizing keys. 
     
     
       15. The electrical connector assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the first lock surface is oriented generally perpendicularly to the centerline and wherein the second lock surface is oriented generally perpendicularly to the centerline. 
     
     
       16. The electrical connector assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the connector body defines a plurality of terminal receiving cavities and wherein each terminal receiving cavity in the plurality of terminal receiving cavities contains one terminal of a plurality of terminals.